Scots are being encouraged to donate blood over the festive period after the number of regular donors plummeted during the Covid pandemic.
The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) saw the number of active blood donors fall from 105,000 to fewer than 92,000 from 2019 to 2020.
Numbers have started to pick up slightly in recent months, with the figure rising to 96,000 people who are now registered as active blood donors.
SNBTS officials say that the current figure is the smallest pool of blood donors for Scots hospitals this century.
The organisation are now pleading for new donors to register, while urging those who have gotten out of the habit of donating blood to return over the Christmas period.
It has been claimed that SNBTS would need to welcome 3,300 donors per week to ensure that blood supplies remain at safe levels.
As part of the recruitment drive, SNBTS has highlighted a number of stories of Scots whose lives have been saved thanks to blood transfusions.
Included in this is seven-year-old Freya Pennington, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia last November.
The Giffnock girl spent a month in hospital and required ten blood transfusions over time before being given the green light to go home in time for Christmas.
Her mum Louise remembered one transfusion that was crucial in effectively saving the life of her daughter.
“One day, Freya wasn’t well from the side effects of treatment”, she said.
“She was lethargic, very sick, she had lots of mouth ulcers and sores. The doctor could tell, just by looking at her, she would need a blood transfusion that day.
“Watching her it hit me, the enormity, that someone had given their blood and Freya would feel a bit better afterwards.
“I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude that someone had donated this for Freya to feel better.
“It wasn’t a tablet created in a lad, but a real person who had made her better. I just wanted to say thank you to anyone who had given up their time to donate.”
Dr Sylvia Armstrong-Fisher of SNBTS said: “During the pandemic, NHS Scotland relied on commitment from existing donors who gave very regularly. We’d like to thank all of these people who supported us at such an important time.
"However, alongside the natural lifecycle of blood donors retiring every day, this led to the community of active donors shrinking to its lowest level since records began.
"We need to welcome 3,300 donors per week to ensure blood supplies remain at safe levels and, with fewer people donating regularly, we want to welcome 50 new or returning blood donors every single day over the festive and winter period.
“During the pandemic we have made many positive changes to blood collection, to make giving blood as easy as possible for donors. We are now offering more weekend sessions in our donor centres, and have opened our flagship donor centre in Livingston, which is now welcoming over 800 donors a month. To book your appointment to donate, you can use our online portal.
“Maintaining a safe and regular supply of blood to hospitals is our top priority. Thank you to everyone who has supported patients in Scotland over the past two years. We look forward to welcoming you soon. Please join this amazing club today and book an appointment to support Scotland’s patients over the Festive period and into the new year.”
